Panasonic POVCAM and AG-UMR20 Portable Recorder Unveiled

Panasonic unveiled a new action camera at NAB 2017, a POV type of device. It consists of two parts, the actual AG-UCK20GJ Panasonic POVCAM and the portable AG-UMR20 recorder. Let’s check out what we know so far.

Quick snapshot from Panasonic’s live event at NAB 2017.

Panasonic POVCAM AG-UCK20GJ Camera Head

If you need high quality in tight spaces, then a good option might be this new Panasonic AG-UCK20GJ compact camera head in tandem with the Panasonic AG-UMR20 portable recorder.

The new Panasonic AG-UCK20GJ camera head is capable of capturing UHD 4K video at 29.97 fps, along with stereo audio. For full functionality, you need the accompanying AG-UMR20 portable recorder, which uses a proprietary multi-pin cable that carries all video, audio, and control signals.

The lens is a 20x zoom which features a 29.5mm equivalent field of view, and it’s even stabilized in order to prevent shaky or wobbly footage. The camera even sports built-in ND filters and autofocus, which is pretty impressive for such a small camera head.

Panasonic AG-UMR20 Portable Recorder

At the other end of this combo package, the AG-UMR20 portable recorder writes HD and UHD 4K video to SDXC cards. There are actually two SD card slots, providing both relay and backup recording. The unit can also serve as a control for the AG-UCK20GJ camera head, and provides several video input and output options such as SDI, HDMI, USB and even Ethernet. This means you can connect this control unit to various kinds of studio equipment such as monitors, video switchers, FTP servers or computers.

AG-VBR and VW-VBD batteries can be used for powering up this camera head & recorder combo. As a bonus, you can feed the AG-UMR20 with an external SDI video source so you can use it as an extra backup device in the field.

One thing to note, though. The above press image is somewhat misleading because the camera is actually a little bigger than you might expect it to be, have a look at this snap we took from the actual product in real life:

Actually, the Panasonic POVCAM is not exactly tiny.

Both products should be available soon, so stay tuned for more information!

What do you think? Is this camera/recorder combo worth a closer look for your production workflow? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Olaf von Voss is a freelance cameraman who is in business for nearly a decade. He is living in Berlin, Germany but has traveled the world as well while shooting mostly music related documentaries and shows.

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Olaf von Voss is a freelance cameraman who is in business for nearly a decade. He is living in Berlin, Germany but has traveled the world as well while shooting mostly music related documentaries and shows.